Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Vet missed it. Sis figured it out about 3 weeks ago when she noticed she was getting "fat". Truth be told, sis is not too upset. Where I am the "Crazy chicken lady" of the family my sister is the "Crazy cat lady." She called the vet to inform them she thought she was pregnant. They told her she was too far along to do anything about it then, but when she had them to call and they would push back her spay appointment to when the kittens are between 4 and 5 weeks old. I will not be getting one, I already have 2 huge dogs and a cat inside. That does not mean I cannot visit them and spoil them until it is time to find them homes.

You forgot the horses and chooks

I am almost as bad as you - all I need is the dogs haha.

 

[Ponypoor]

Why, someone tell me why. It is 78 degrees today and my grandmother needs the heat on because she is freezing.

You need one of those 'fake' thermostats so she can 'set it' to her hearts content

 

[RoyalChick]

Rest in peace, sweet Lucky.
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Sweet, beautiful Lucky.

 

[RoyalChick]

Fail with the poultry netting fence, the frozen shale is too hard.
Part of the line I want to run is on the edge of our shale driveway. Normally I use a strong (steel?) tent stake and a hammer to drive holes into the shale for the step-in pins, but here I could only get about an inch, then it’s frozen solid rock, not breaking or moving at all, really impossible. The stake began bending. DH says I need a hammer drill? I think like a jack hammer! It’s not great work at any time of the year though, and I’m looking for a year-round alternative, see “Crazy Idea” below which I'll post elsewhere on BYC too.

I got 2" aviary mesh netting up on two greenhouse frames and intended to surround it with poultry netting. Here’s pics, I have a corner up for me to go in and out. The chicken door to the area was going to be where those treated blocks in front of the plastic sheeting are. But today with snow on the ground, they expressed zero interest in setting foot outside the run, they stopped yelling, so there’s no urgency to this now. They stood in the doorway and looked at the snow. They're happy to eat collard greens and blueberries inside, thank you.

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Crazy Idea? Anyone else try this?
Had the idea of placing the poultry fence in what I found out are called planter blocks. Bought a few on a whim last summer while I was getting cinder blocks for weights and things, they’re cute and I liked the shape, and the notches make them easy to grab and move around. Discovered this year that a step-in two-tined fence post fits in the hole and the notch so I placed one on the shale and used a plain post to hang extra cable on next to the electric fence cut-off switch, worked great!

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I would have to fill in below the electric fence in between the blocks because the fence bottom is now higher in this scenario. Thought about stones or concrete blocks, then realized it's made for 2x lumber to make planter boxes (duh! see the image below), and found a scrap 2x8 to try and I laid out two blocks.

The scrap wood is just a little long but hopefully you can see what I mean. I have one or maybe two more planter blocks to experiment with and lay it out further, but right now it’s behaving much like step-in poultry netting does. The end fence poles, if tied or braced to something, will pull the fence straight I think. Laterally, they seem to have as much strength as when in soil, because the blocks are as deep as the tines, and I could pound in some wooden wedges into the middle hole and stop any wiggling of one tine, but they could still lift out without much trouble, which is good, or maybe bad?

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Clever idea. I like it!

 

[Ponypoor]

Fail with the poultry netting fence, the frozen shale is too hard.
Part of the line I want to run is on the edge of our shale driveway. Normally I use a strong (steel?) tent stake and a hammer to drive holes into the shale for the step-in pins, but here I could only get about an inch, then it’s frozen solid rock, not breaking or moving at all, really impossible. The stake began bending. DH says I need a hammer drill? I think like a jack hammer! It’s not great work at any time of the year though, and I’m looking for a year-round alternative, see “Crazy Idea” below which I'll post elsewhere on BYC too.

I got 2" aviary mesh netting up on two greenhouse frames and intended to surround it with poultry netting. Here’s pics, I have a corner up for me to go in and out. The chicken door to the area was going to be where those treated blocks in front of the plastic sheeting are. But today with snow on the ground, they expressed zero interest in setting foot outside the run, they stopped yelling, so there’s no urgency to this now. They stood in the doorway and looked at the snow. They're happy to eat collard greens and blueberries inside, thank you.

View attachment 3411846

Crazy Idea? Anyone else try this?
Had the idea of placing the poultry fence in what I found out are called planter blocks. Bought a few on a whim last summer while I was getting cinder blocks for weights and things, they’re cute and I liked the shape, and the notches make them easy to grab and move around. Discovered this year that a step-in two-tined fence post fits in the hole and the notch so I placed one on the shale and used a plain post to hang extra cable on next to the electric fence cut-off switch, worked great!

View attachment 3412926

I would have to fill in below the electric fence in between the blocks because the fence bottom is now higher in this scenario. Thought about stones or concrete blocks, then realized it's made for 2x lumber to make planter boxes (duh! see the image below), and found a scrap 2x8 to try and I laid out two blocks.

The scrap wood is just a little long but hopefully you can see what I mean. I have one or maybe two more planter blocks to experiment with and lay it out further, but right now it’s behaving much like step-in poultry netting does. The end fence poles, if tied or braced to something, will pull the fence straight I think. Laterally, they seem to have as much strength as when in soil, because the blocks are as deep as the tines, and I could pound in some wooden wedges into the middle hole and stop any wiggling of one tine, but they could still lift out without much trouble, which is good, or maybe bad?

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Hey great idea! Thanks!

 

[featherhead007]

Thanks, Alex. I will miss her dearly.
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She was lovely. Seems like the best ones leave us.

 

[featherhead007]

I’m in the coop with Coco and Shenandoah, playing classical music while they lay their eggs. It’s raining here now. Best way to check the coop for comfort, is to experience it myself.

 

[featherhead007]

I want my coop designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Some famous birds over the years, have called it their home!

 

[Sally PB]

Fly high and free, lovely Lucky.
Hugs for you.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hi folks. Popping in. Sad to say Lucky is in her final days, if not hours. I could probably tube feed to keep her going a bit longer, but that would be cruel and prolong suffering.

It seems the other chickens know. Here she is with Little Mill sitting vigil before I left today.

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and for Lucky and you. I’m so sorry. She had a wonderful life with you, her tribe, and Lexi!